Apple pies and iPads sweeten China's dreaded TV expose

By Adam Jourdan SHANGHAI (Reuters) - From cut-price apple pies to free iPads, companies in China are transforming Sunday's dreaded consumer rights day into a shopping frenzy, to blunt the impact of being named and shamed in state broadcaster CCTV's annual expose. McDonald's Corp is discounting pies three years after food safety lapses made it a one-time target of the broadcaster's "3.15" show, while e-commerce giant JD.com Inc is giving away tablet computers over four days of "crazy sales" ending Sunday. "Companies are being preemptive, making consumer day a positive story," said James Feldkamp, chief executive officer of consumer watchdog MingJian. "If you're going to be a target, at least you're already doing something to balance it out." The investigative news show, broadcast every World Consumer Rights Day, is in tune with a government drive to boost consumer protection laws and toughen punishments for misleading shoppers.



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